Cured, the new restaurant from chef Steve McHugh, is opening at the Pearl later this month.

The menu will feature an array of cured foods from charcuterie to pickles, house-made vinegars for pickling and house-made bitters for the bar.

Items with different types of pickles include masa fried oysters with tarragon and pickled tapioca, cabrito sliders with chayote pickle and onion sprout and Nopalito relish and house-made ketchup that top even the Brewery Frank.

McHugh's menu will feature 11 different cured meats on the charcuterie list, from South Texas Heritage Pork coppa to hogshead cheese to bacon and frog-leg rillettes. What's more, a dollar from each charcuterie board will be donated to a different charity rotating on a quarterly basis.

Locally, McHugh, introduced himself to San Antonio as chef de cuisine of Lüke.

One of his creations is the Andrew Weissman Haute Dog, a split dog caramelized on the flattop on a toasted bolillo with garlic mayonnaise, ham, applewood smoked bacon, guacamole, pico de gallo, pepper jack cheese and candied jalapeños.

Each game he works will feature a different menu.

If this turns into more, we'll let you know.

White elephant exchange

Houlihan's, with two locations in San Antonio, is hosting the third edition of its World's Larg-est White Elephant Gift Exchange.

To participate, consumers must submit a gift (with a value of $10 or less) to the headquarters in exchange for another customer's bad gift — and a $25 Houlihan's gift card.

Gifts must be sent to Houlihan's Restaurants headquarters at 8700 State Line Road, Suite 100, Leawood, Kan., 66206 by Jan. 3, 2014, in order to participate.

Customers also can post pictures of their worst holiday presents on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtab #HouWhiteElephant (preferably from somebody who doesn't use social media).

The winning entry will receive free Houlihan's for a year, valued at $1,200, and two winners will receive $100 Amazon gift cards.